Diocese Establishes Central Ohio Mission

On March 7, 2010, His Eminence, Metropolitan Nicholas established a new mission church in central Ohio. Named Holy Cross and with all services in English, the mission serves a growing congregation of 35 souls and worships at 2548 Billingsley Road in north Columbus, while the search for a permanent location gets underway.

Pastoring the new community is Fr. Kevin Greenwood, himself recently received as a priest of the Carpatho-Russian Diocese. “Many of our members can trace their origins to the Carpatho-Russian Orthodox tradition, but have attended other Orthodox churches because there was no ACROD parish in central Ohio. For many of our group, it seems very much like a homecoming,” observed Fr. Kevin. “There is a great deal of excitement and gratitude for the opportunity to found this mission among our parishioners, including those of us who are new to the customs of the Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Church. It is a truly joyous time for us all, as we look forward to welcoming new members and sharing our faith and rituals, which date back to the Apostles and the first days of Christianity.”

Lending his almost 50 years of priestly ministry in ACROD to the new mission is the Very Rev. Protopresbyter Paul Herbert of Mount Vernon. “Fr. Paul, his wife Pani Eleanor and their daughter Ruth are blessings to our mission,” commented Fr. Greenwood. “They have so much to share from years devoted to serving Christ’s Church, that we have a personal treasury of lived faith from which to draw.”

The Divine Liturgy is celebrated Sunday mornings at 9:30 a.m. and is followed by fellowship and refreshments. Great Vespers are served on Saturdays at 5:30 p.m. with confessions heard beginning at 5:00 p.m. A schedule of religious education for youth and adults, as well as instruction for those wishing to become an Orthodox Christian, will begin in the fall. For more information on the mission, e-mail holycrossorthodox@gmail.com or visit “Holy Cross Orthodox Mission, Columbus, OH” on Facebook or the parish website at www.holycrossorthodox.com.